Illuminated display device



Aug. 22, 1961 M. WAYNE 2,996,821

ILLUMINATED DISPLAY DEVICE Filed July 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Erg. j

Aug. 22, 1961 M. WAYNE 2,996,821

ILLUMINATED DISPLAY DEVICE Filed July 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lY-lzezzar /W/cw/l a h//z wv;

United States Patent O i 2,996,821 ILLUMINATED DISPLAY DEVICE Michael Wayne, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Tablet &

Ticket Co., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 21, 1958, Ser. No. 750,026 2 Claims. (Cl. 40-132) This invention relates to illuminated display devices and more particularly relates to such a device which is arranged to be used as a building directory.

Illuminated display devices, arranged to be used as building directories and the like, generally comprise a frame having a plurality of translucent panels therein, behind which are disposed a plurality of lights such as lluorescent tubes. In the past such illuminated directories have generally been so constructed that a light and light housing were spaced behind and connected to each of the plurality of directory panels thus necessitating the removal of a panel and its respective light housing in order to gain access to the light. Furthermore, it was necessary to disconnect the light housing from a given panel in order to gain access to the plurality of indicia strips housed within the panel.

To obviate the aforementioned disadvantage features applicant provides an illuminated directory having a plurality of readily removable panels therein wherein each of a plurality of lights and its respective housing is secured to a recessed portion of the wall within which the directory is mounted rather than to the individual panels so that the panels may readily be removed to gain access to the indicia strips or the lights in a simple and expeditious manner.

Furthermore, since the light or lamp housings are permanently aixed to the wall a permanent electrical connection can be made therebetween thus providing an added safety factor to the device which was not possible with prior illuminated display devices wherein the lamp housings were removable and wherein plug and socket connections were necessarily made between each of the several lamp housings in the display devices.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an illuminated display device Wherein the illuminating lights are wall mounted and permanent electrical connections are made therebetween.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple and expeditious means of gaining access to the indicia strips in the panels of an illuminated directory and to the illuminating lights therebehind.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an illuminated display device adapted to be mounted within a wall recess which may be readily assembled and economically manufactured.

These land other objects of the invention will become apparent from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a iront elevational view of an illuminated directory constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizont-al partially sectioned, partially elevational view of the illuminated display device illustrated in FIGURE l taken along lines II-II of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of an illuminated display device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the directory panels removed;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines IV--IV of FIGURE 2 and showing some parts in elevation and showing again the section taken in FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view Patented Aug. 22, 1961 fice similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the removal of one of the directory panels.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings there is shown an illuminated display device 10 including a frame 11 and a plurality of directory panels 12. A pair of brackets 13 and 14 having inwardly turned flanged portions 15 and 16, respectively, are secured to a recessed portion 17 of a wall 18 as by a plurality of screws 19 or the like. The free ends of each of the inwardly turned anges 15 and 16 are welded, brazed, or soldered to the frame 11 as at 20 to provide `a rigid permanent support for the frame 11.

A plurality-of rectangularly shaped lamp housings 22 are disposed within the wall recess 17 and have their base portions 23 similarly rigidly secured to the supporting brackets 13 and 14 so that one lamp housing is arranged to be disposed behind each panel. It will be noted that a pair of sockets 24 and 25 are shown as being adjacent the base portion 23 of each of the lamp housings 22 and that the sockets are arranged to receive a lluorescent tube 26 therein so that when the tube 26 is energized, light will be reflected by the rellecting panels 27 of the lamp housing 2-2 to the front of the display device 10.

The frame 11 is angularly shaped in cross section and has a front wall 28 and a side wall 29. It will be noted that an angle bracket 30 is rigidly secured as by welding, soldering, or the like to the frame 11 with one face adjacent the inner side of the front wall `28 and that a second L-shaped angle bracket 31 is similarly rigidly secured to the angle bracket 30 so that a groove 32 is formed along therupper edge of the frame 11 which is deiinedrby the inner surface of the front wall 28, the angle bracket 30, and the depending portion of angle bracket 31. A groove 33 is similarly formed along the lower portion of the frame 11 and includes generally a pair of L-shaped angle brackets 34 and 35.

It will herein be noted that the upstanding portion of the angle bracket 35 and the depending portion of angle bracket 31 are arranged to provide an abutment for a peripheral flange 37 which is formed integrally with the rellecting shield 27 in each of the lamp housings 22. The grooves 33 and 32 are, as Willhereinafter become apparent, arranged to receive each of a plurality of panels v12.

Each of the panels 12 comprises a rectangularly shaped parent shield 42 such as glass or one of the known substitutes therefor. Disposed behind the glass 42 are a plurality of translucent indicia strips 43 which may have opaque numbers or letters thereon as desired. Disposed behind the strips 43 is a translucent material 44 such as glass or one of the known substitutes therefor which is abutted at its inner peripheral surface by a rectangularly shaped removable supporting bracket 47. The rectangular bracket 47 may be connected to the frame 40 in any releasable fashion as by a plurality of pins 48 which are arranged to extend through aligned apertures 49 and Sit in the bracket 47 and frame 40, respectively. By merely removing the pins 48 either the glass 42 or the glass 44 or the indicia strips 33 interposed therebetween may readily be removed for repair or for replacement of parts.

It will be noted that the total length of the panels 12 between the outer ends of the bracket 4t)y is greater than the distance between the inturned front walls 28 of the frame 11 but less than the distance between the brackets 30 and 34 and that the grooves 32 and 33 are or sutlicient depth to receive each of the panels 1-2 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4. As shown in FIGURE 5 the panels may readily be removed by merely moving the panel upwardly within the grooves 32 along the upper edge of the frame 11 and pulling the frame outwardly over the retaining front wall 28 at the lower end of the frame 11 and thereafter simply letting the panel drop outv of the groove 32. Y

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings it will be noted that a conduit 52 is interposed between each of the lamp housings 22 to serve as a means for permanently and, thereby safely electrically connecting each of the lamp housings 22 with a source of electrical energy. Previously, as noted, such permanent connections were not possible/in illuminated display devices of the type herein described since it was necessary to remove at least one of the lamp housings 22 from the wall recess from time to time to gain access to the indicia strips within the panels or the lightY themselves.

Since, however, applicants lamp housings are permanently installed within the wall recess permanent electricalV connections therebetween have been made possible.

Obviously, of course, other suitable means may be utilized between each of the lamp housings 22 to serve as a means for safely electrically interconnecting each of the lamp housings with one another and with a source of electrical energy. Such means may comprise metallic ilexible cable, pipe as distinguished from thin walled conduit, Greenfield and the like.

As shown in FIGURE 3 the spacing between the peripheral flanges 37 formed integrally with the lamp housings 22 is suicient to permit free access to the screws 19 retaining the brackets 13l and 14 to the wall 18. Thus, installation or removal of the entire assembly may be accomplished quickly and expeditiously.

While applicant has illustrated a directory panel having only three panels therein, the display device or directory may, of course, include a great many such panels. Furthermore, where a large number of individual panels and their respective lamp housings are used in a single display device it may be necessary to provide vertical as well as horizontal supporting bracketsl similar to the brackets 13 and 14.

It will herein be understood that this embodiment of the invention has been used for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications and variations in the present invention may be eifectedrwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. An illuminated display device comprising a frame, a plurality of elongated support strips having inturned end portions rigidly connected to said frame, a light source mounted on at least one of said strips, a translucent panel having opaque indicia removably mounted thereon, and channel grooves formed along at least a portion of said frame and removably mounting said panels within said frame, wherein said display device is adapted to be mounted within a wall recess with said frame lying adjacent the face of the wall and with said strips being affixed to the recessedportion of the wall and wherein the connection between the recessedA portion of the wall and the strips comprises theV sole means for wall mounting said display device.

2. An illuminated display device comprising a rectangular frame having front and end walls formed therearound substantially at right angles to one another, a plurality of elongated support strips having inturned end portions rigidly connected to said frame, a light source mounted on at least one of said strips, a panel removably atxed within said frame comprising a rectangular panel frame substantially L-shaped in cross-section and including a front panel wall engageable with said tirst mentioned front wall, a transparent plate mounted within said panel frame in abutment with said front panel frame wall, an opaque diffuser plate mounted within said panel frame, translucent strips having opaque characters thereoon disposed intermediate said transparent plate and said opaque plate, abutment means peripherally engaging said opaque plate and sandwiching said plates and strips between said abutment means and said front panel wall, fasteningmeans for securing said abutment means to said panel frame, wherein said display device is adapted to be mounted within a wall recess. with said frame lying adjacent the face of the wall and with said strips being aixed to the recessed portion of the wall and wherein the connection between the recessed portion of the wall and the strips comprises the sole means, for wall mounting said display device.

References Cited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,086,960 Waterman Feb. 10, 1914 1,475,866 Peterson Nov. 27, 1923 1,505,625 Dearth Aug. 19, 1924 1,518,708 Smith Dec. 9, 1924 1,931,343 Cook et al. Oct. 17, 1933 1,944,276 Schepmoes Jan. 23, 1934 2,156,257 Adler May 2, 1939 2,527,679 Krueger Oct. 3'1, 1950 2,817,915 Chatkin Dec. 31, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 632,122 France Sept. 22, 1927 

